The Reverend Edmund Steele
Nobleman, Priest, Slayer of Abominations. Agility: d6, Smarts: d8, Spirit: d8, Strength: d4, Vigour: d6 Skills: Faith: d8, Fighting: d6, Guts: d8(+1), Intimidation: d8, Knowledge (Occult): d4, Knowledge (Theology): d4, Persuasion: d6, Riding: d6, Shooting: d8, Survival: d4, Tracking: d4. Parry: 4, Toughness: 5, Pace: 6,' Charisma': +2, Reason: 3, Status: 7, XP: 50 Edges: Arcane Background (Miracles), Command, Down to Earth, Noble, Stout Hearted, Marksman, Power Point, Extra Power, Hold the Line, Fear no Evil!, Inspire, Strategist, Take Aim! Starting Hindrances: Daemonic Pact, Cabal Magnet, Cautious, Vow (Suffer not the Abomination to Live), Hindrances Gained Through Play: One Arm. Languages: '''English, German, Latin, Romanian. '''Powers: Smite, Heal, Light. New Edge: Fear No Evil! '''Requirements: '''Novice, Command, Intimidation d8+ Those under your command fear you, more than their foes, granting them +2 to Guts Checks. Character Routine Since his unfortunate riding accident in the Scottish Highlands, the Reverend Steele spent some time recouperating. He is now in Southend with the other Rippers. During time spent in Southend: The Reverend spends his weekends on walks around the area with Mr Garvin, looking for specimens to add to his impressive insect collection which he has displayed in his Southend House. He has spent a large portion of his time with the Romanian priest; Father Borescu, during the Romanian's visit to the area. The two got on well and the Reverend even managed to pick up the complex language, though Father Borescu thinks his pronunciation is still a little sluggish. The majority of the Reverends time is spent doing charity work for the school; teaching languages and morals to the school's children. He also takes prayer in the assembly hall every Monday morning, at the beginning f the day. He spends a large time in his house, of which all the other Rippers are especially made welcome by the Reverend's caretaker Mr Chinley, or else he spends his time in the Ripper's library conducting "scientific research" (aka. Checking the various occult devices picked up by the team). He is always on call for any religious duty the people of Southend may ask of him. With Local People: The Reverend gets on well with the people of Southend who find his wisdom and religious teachings a valuable addition to the community.His kindly and charitable demenour has made him popular and well-respected. He has also gained no small amount of favour by offering a seemingly "miracle cure": many of the Townspeople believe his guest bed is blessed by god, delivered from Jerusalem itself, after a grieviously wounded towns person emerged fully healed after a nights rest in the Reverend's guest chambers. He also gets on well with the town's children; they see him as a kindly yet strict teacher of morals and good behaviour. His lessons may not be as enjoyable as Mr. Garvin's lessons in the adventure of life, but they are no less important to the children and the community as a whole. Edmund has a strong companionship with the other Rippers, particularly Mr. Garvin, Sir Robert and Mrs MacTannon. He seems slightly wary of Dr House and Rigg but most put this down to the heated debate between science and religion currently raging at this time. He welcomes the new addition to the group and looks forward to embarking upon a scientific mission with her in the near future. Character History The Reverend Edmund Steele is a quiet, yet caring, man. Dressed in a knee-length black traveller's coat, a kerchief wrapped around his neck and a wide-brimmed hat on his head, he looks more like the famed Van Helsing than a Reverend. This is probably on purpose, for nowadays he keeps his status as a man of the cloth quiet, and is known to most only as Steele. He does still keep his silver cross on a chain around his neck, and takes religion seriously. Most of his possessions, including his walking stick and Webley revolver feature the Maltese Cross, perhaps in salute to the history of his family. After losing both his parents to an unfortunate mugging incident that went wrong, he was raised by the local church of the holy cross, just outside of his home town of Sandford in Devon. His parents are from noble stock, British through and through, and could trace their line back to the Templar Knights that joined king Richard the Lionheart. Even though they lived a privileged lifestyle, John Steele, Edmund’s father, cared more about the community than his money. He worked as the local doctor, curing the sick, and putting a good proportion of his earnings back into the community; helping the local church with regular donations. Edmund learned the ways of the cloth, and after passing his clerical exam at university he was ordained in the church he grew up in. Edmund shared his father’s charitable bent and gave most of his income and family heirlooms to the church. He eventually got married and had a baby boy. But, Edmunds idyllic life was not to continue, it was smashed by the tragedy of the savage murder of his wife and child not long after he was born. The culprit could not be found, and Edmund became withdrawn, locking himself in one of the churches upper rooms and praying day and night. After a fortnight, he came out of the church with a glazed expression; he gathered his belongings, made one last contribution to the churches coffers, and left Sandford on a quest. He returned a year later, looking worn and tired, he stayed at his family home once again. One thing is certain about his short visit back home, he didn’t continue to work with the clergy of Sandford, but he did make a confession. Many whispered that he went out and delivered divine judgement to the being which killed his family, but the Pastor refuses to say anything more than to assure folk that Edmund is doing the Lord's work, so most believe that he is involved in some kind of Missionary work. Edmund leaves Sandford regularly now, sometimes for as long as a year, but he always comes back. The local community, in gratitude for his and his father’s charity, tend to his house, and the flowerbeds outside, and when he returns they nod to him, and he nods back, pays them for their services, and they leave. If, when he returns, a villager is sick, he will visit them, alone. After an hour he will leave, the villager will be cured, and Edmund will accept no payment. So it has been for the last several years now. Unbeknownst to any layman is a dark secret hidden in the ancestry of the Steele line. For the Steele Templars that joined King Richard did not worship God, they worshipped the demon Baphomet, and were in league with the sinister Cabal before it was called such. Edmund learned this when he caught up with his family’s killer. He confessed under steel and fire, and told Edmund about his ancestor’s pact with Baphomet, that the mugger who killed his family worked for the Cabal, and so did he. The Cabal operative explained that they believed that by killing the Steele bloodline, the blood debt owed to Baphomet would be paid, and “he who ends it” would know great power. After leaving the man to the mercy of God, Edmund returned and began researching his family’s dark past. He confirmed the operatives words, and vowed that he should wipe the stain of guilt from his family’s name. He now hunts those things that haunt in the night, a holy protector, a light in the dark. Memoirs The Reverend Steele began his Memoirs in the latter part of October 1892. These Memoirs can be found here.